Dear Mother Nature,
I am writing to inform you that an item I had ordered from you, Spring, has yet to arrive at my address. Initially, I thought it was a problem with Canada Post, but they claim that this item was never shipped as they have no tracking information for it.
The non-shipment of this item creates great distress for my business, increasing calls into our call centres and creating much discontent among our many clients. May I remind you that it is critical that this item arrive at a certain time every year in order to prevent individuals who live in inhospitable, arctic-like climates for 7 to 8 months of the year from snapping and doing horrible, unimaginable things that I can't share because I can't even imagine them. They are unimaginable.
I remind you that you are under a seasonal contract to deliver this item.
I kindly ask that you rush-ship this item within two weeks, or at least show some intent to deliver. Non-shipment of this item will result in breach of contract, and we will have to remove you from our approved vendors list.
Sincerely,
Christina
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Random commentaries from a random mind - March 2011
Sometimes on my commute home from work, I find my mind wandering and pondering over a myriad of topics, whether they be current world events, what to make for supper, or the song playing on the radio. So, I thought what better way to inundate you with all the things and thinks that go on in my brain (wait... I guess I've already been doing that) than a quick commentary blog.
Here goes.
ANOTHER <insert groan here> Federal Election
The past week saw the opposition in our hallowed halls of federal politics topple our current minority government and send us all back to the polls this spring. Watching some news coverage of this whole fiasco, I had to chuckle at Ignatieff when being interviewed afterward, who stated that any Canadian who wanted to get rid of the Conservatives had to vote Liberal.
Ummm... yeah. I kind of thought that was obvious. If you want a certain party to lose, you generally have to vote for the other guy. Apparently he thinks the collective IQ of the Canadian public is quite low.
I'm not sure what any of these guys don't get, but I would think the fact we all elected a minority government the last few times would suggest that maybe Canadians don't really like any of them. Sadly, with few viable options, we are left voting for the one we think might do the least amount of damage. Parliament has become less an institution that governs our fine country, and more an oversized daycare where the kids all fight over who gets to play with the only firetruck.
Unfortunately, that firetruck is our country.
To be honest, I have no idea who I'll vote for in the upcoming election, because I think they are all idiots. I can't really say I like any of their policies, nor do I think any of them will follow through on election promises or govern effectively. Tough call indeed.
I'm sure I'll be complaining about, and making fun of our lovely politicians in posts to come. Stay tuned!
Japan
Well, the nuclear power plants didn't gargantuously explode and spew massive amounts of radiation into our atmosphere killing us all, and the amazing stories or heroism and survival are becoming fewer, which means the media frenzy has run it's course and Japan has fallen from the headlines. It's a shame, really, because there will be ongoing cleanup efforts there for months and possibly even years to come. Remember Hurricane Katrina? Of course not... unless you're one of the one's still displaced by the events, or happen to be a tourist that stumbles upon one of the deserted neighbourhoods in New Orleans.
Sorry. Is my intense dislike of the media showing through? My bad.
I ask at this time we all remember that there are still people (and animals!) needing help over there, and encourage all to read my PG blog post on the matter (located over at my Martha Stewart personalities blog), or my previous post within this blog. I recently ran a one woman bake sale at work, and have to thank my colleagues for their generous donations which went to an animal rescue group over there, the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support group. You guys are all fab. My Etsy shop, GrinningDogDesigns is also running a small fundraiser for the same organization. And as always, the Red Cross accepts donations as well, helping out the less furry victims of this tragedy.
The one spot of brightness in all this is Japan is an amazing country with a strong economy, if anyone could weather such a storm, they can.
S&M by Rihanna
Moving to a completely irrelevant topic in the grand scheme of things, let's talk a little celebrity.
My musical tastes are pretty varied, and I've found myself listening to a lot of the local top-40, urban type stations that have been popping up on the dial lately.
When I first heard Rihanna's new hit, S&M, I thought it was a little catchy. Although not into the whole S&M gig myself (I'll save you the speculation), I can see how the danceability of this song made it rise on the charts. Apparently, the song is a metaphor for her relationship with the media, but I'm left wondering how many 14 or 15 year olds downloading it on iTunes actually realize this, because I have to say it's not obvious (nor even subtle) at all based on the lyrics. After Google'ing the lyrics, in fact, I was left wondering just how much of a 'victim' Rihanna was in the whole Chris Brown abuse fiasco until I read an interview with her regarding the song in which she talked about the message regarding the media she intended with the song. She also stated she was surprised about the controversy surrounding the song.
Really, Rihanna? You release a song about sex and sadomasochism, being a former victim of domestic abuse, and expect it to attract no notice?
Metaphor message? FAIL. Free media? WIN.
Go celebrities.
Charlie Sheen
Speaking of misunderstood celebrities, we come to Charlie Sheen. Despite his meltdown and the loss of his television show, the ole boys doin' pretty well methinks, selling out stage shows everywhere and gaining a huge following in the social networking world.
I enjoyed Two and a Half Men, but to me the show was starting to jump the shark a wee bit, and becoming a little repetitive. I've often wondered how many celebrity meltdowns are just cleverly planned vehicles to transition one's career to a new level or in a different direction. I mean, the show was bound to either be cancelled or wrap up soon anyways, in my opinion. Honestly, I expect the reality show or pornography video announcement to come any day now. In fact, I may already have missed it, given my general lack of interest in most things celebrity.
In an additional Sheen-related callout I have to give kudo's to Duck Sauce for a catchy remix of their hit Barbara Streisand, as in the words of The Music Ninja:
Duck Sauce’s “Barbra Streisand” got a ‘winning’ makeover! As if you needed another reason to love the infectious beat of this song, the “Charlie Sheen (Spinstyle’s Bi-Winning Edit)” pumps this track full of so much ‘tiger blood,’ it makes you feel like you were banging 7 gram rocks with the man himself. Pop culture appropriation at it’s finest…DUH!
Charlie Sheen... infectious in more ways than one, perhaps?
That's all I got for now, sportsfans! Thanks for reading.
Here goes.
ANOTHER <insert groan here> Federal Election
The past week saw the opposition in our hallowed halls of federal politics topple our current minority government and send us all back to the polls this spring. Watching some news coverage of this whole fiasco, I had to chuckle at Ignatieff when being interviewed afterward, who stated that any Canadian who wanted to get rid of the Conservatives had to vote Liberal.
Ummm... yeah. I kind of thought that was obvious. If you want a certain party to lose, you generally have to vote for the other guy. Apparently he thinks the collective IQ of the Canadian public is quite low.
I'm not sure what any of these guys don't get, but I would think the fact we all elected a minority government the last few times would suggest that maybe Canadians don't really like any of them. Sadly, with few viable options, we are left voting for the one we think might do the least amount of damage. Parliament has become less an institution that governs our fine country, and more an oversized daycare where the kids all fight over who gets to play with the only firetruck.
Unfortunately, that firetruck is our country.
To be honest, I have no idea who I'll vote for in the upcoming election, because I think they are all idiots. I can't really say I like any of their policies, nor do I think any of them will follow through on election promises or govern effectively. Tough call indeed.
I'm sure I'll be complaining about, and making fun of our lovely politicians in posts to come. Stay tuned!
Japan
Well, the nuclear power plants didn't gargantuously explode and spew massive amounts of radiation into our atmosphere killing us all, and the amazing stories or heroism and survival are becoming fewer, which means the media frenzy has run it's course and Japan has fallen from the headlines. It's a shame, really, because there will be ongoing cleanup efforts there for months and possibly even years to come. Remember Hurricane Katrina? Of course not... unless you're one of the one's still displaced by the events, or happen to be a tourist that stumbles upon one of the deserted neighbourhoods in New Orleans.
Sorry. Is my intense dislike of the media showing through? My bad.
I ask at this time we all remember that there are still people (and animals!) needing help over there, and encourage all to read my PG blog post on the matter (located over at my Martha Stewart personalities blog), or my previous post within this blog. I recently ran a one woman bake sale at work, and have to thank my colleagues for their generous donations which went to an animal rescue group over there, the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support group. You guys are all fab. My Etsy shop, GrinningDogDesigns is also running a small fundraiser for the same organization. And as always, the Red Cross accepts donations as well, helping out the less furry victims of this tragedy.
The one spot of brightness in all this is Japan is an amazing country with a strong economy, if anyone could weather such a storm, they can.
S&M by Rihanna
Moving to a completely irrelevant topic in the grand scheme of things, let's talk a little celebrity.
My musical tastes are pretty varied, and I've found myself listening to a lot of the local top-40, urban type stations that have been popping up on the dial lately.
When I first heard Rihanna's new hit, S&M, I thought it was a little catchy. Although not into the whole S&M gig myself (I'll save you the speculation), I can see how the danceability of this song made it rise on the charts. Apparently, the song is a metaphor for her relationship with the media, but I'm left wondering how many 14 or 15 year olds downloading it on iTunes actually realize this, because I have to say it's not obvious (nor even subtle) at all based on the lyrics. After Google'ing the lyrics, in fact, I was left wondering just how much of a 'victim' Rihanna was in the whole Chris Brown abuse fiasco until I read an interview with her regarding the song in which she talked about the message regarding the media she intended with the song. She also stated she was surprised about the controversy surrounding the song.
Really, Rihanna? You release a song about sex and sadomasochism, being a former victim of domestic abuse, and expect it to attract no notice?
Metaphor message? FAIL. Free media? WIN.
Go celebrities.
Charlie Sheen
Speaking of misunderstood celebrities, we come to Charlie Sheen. Despite his meltdown and the loss of his television show, the ole boys doin' pretty well methinks, selling out stage shows everywhere and gaining a huge following in the social networking world.
I enjoyed Two and a Half Men, but to me the show was starting to jump the shark a wee bit, and becoming a little repetitive. I've often wondered how many celebrity meltdowns are just cleverly planned vehicles to transition one's career to a new level or in a different direction. I mean, the show was bound to either be cancelled or wrap up soon anyways, in my opinion. Honestly, I expect the reality show or pornography video announcement to come any day now. In fact, I may already have missed it, given my general lack of interest in most things celebrity.
In an additional Sheen-related callout I have to give kudo's to Duck Sauce for a catchy remix of their hit Barbara Streisand, as in the words of The Music Ninja:
Duck Sauce’s “Barbra Streisand” got a ‘winning’ makeover! As if you needed another reason to love the infectious beat of this song, the “Charlie Sheen (Spinstyle’s Bi-Winning Edit)” pumps this track full of so much ‘tiger blood,’ it makes you feel like you were banging 7 gram rocks with the man himself. Pop culture appropriation at it’s finest…DUH!
Charlie Sheen... infectious in more ways than one, perhaps?
That's all I got for now, sportsfans! Thanks for reading.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Time change to daylight savings
Twice annually I become a very unhappy camper for a period of approximately a week. It's got nothing to do with birthdays, holidays or my female dog going into heat. These things all make me an unhappy camper on a completely different, lesser-degree level.
What, you ask, could possibly do this?
It's time change.
The flip back and forth between Daylight Savings (DST) and Standard Time has got to be the most annoying, useless piece of bureaucracy ever invented. Every spring and fall, as I suffer from:
- sleep disruption,
- disorientation about it being light/dark at <insert time of morning/evening here>,
- hunger pangs at innapropriate times of the day,
- and my dogs being upset at the disruption to their schedule,
I spend approximately a week cursing at the powers that be that allow this idiotic practice to continue. My symptoms read like a bad warning label on yet another drug we don't need. The very words 'time change' send a shiver down my spine, and create an impending sense of dread within the depths of my chest unparallelled in it's... ummm... dreadiness. It evokes a hatred in me so white hot, boiling, bubbling and otherwise... ummm... hot and hatred filled, that...
...well, I'm not sure what. You get the picture, though.
Oh if only my provincial politicians were so bold and rebellious!
There are actually a number of places in the world who no longer, or never did observe a change to DST. Notably, these locations are all more equatorially located than the northern latitudes I inhabit, but as the number of locations that do not observe time change increases and creep ever north and southward, I believe it is important to note something about these non-conforming countries.
When time change rolls around and they don't change their clocks, nothing happens! That's right, people, there are no consequences to not moving ahead or setting back your clocks! The economy and financial empires that dominate our modern world do not collapse, the country does not dissolve into a state of political unrest or outright civil war (recent Middle Eastern events being the exception, but this had nothing to do with time change, moreso time for a change), computers do not stop working, cars do not stop driving, cows do not stop mooing, fish do not stop swimming...
Need I go on?
According to Wikipedia, Daylight Savings Time was first proposed in 1895 by a New Zealand shift worker, who was also an avid entomologist in his spare time. He proposed a change such that he would have more daylight hours to persue his hobby in the evening after work. It wasn't adopted, and there were a few more proposals for such a change in the years that followed, but it wasn't until World War I that it was finally adopted somewhere... Germany. This was a bid to conserve coal for the war effort. And things kind of derailed (in my mind, at least) from there.
Various reasons for the adoption of DST have ranged over the years from financial, to those espousing benefits to one's health. However to date very few of these reasons have been proven to be valid, and the only real benefit has been to retailers, who see shoppers more willing to shop during daylight hours.
Given that the vast majority of the supposed benefits to a change to DST have since been debunked as having negligible, or even negative, value, why have we not gotten rid of this ridiculousness?
I think there is a provincial election coming up soon... I will cast my vote for anyone who runs on a campaign of ditching time change.
What, you ask, could possibly do this?
It's time change.
The flip back and forth between Daylight Savings (DST) and Standard Time has got to be the most annoying, useless piece of bureaucracy ever invented. Every spring and fall, as I suffer from:
- sleep disruption,
- disorientation about it being light/dark at <insert time of morning/evening here>,
- hunger pangs at innapropriate times of the day,
- and my dogs being upset at the disruption to their schedule,
I spend approximately a week cursing at the powers that be that allow this idiotic practice to continue. My symptoms read like a bad warning label on yet another drug we don't need. The very words 'time change' send a shiver down my spine, and create an impending sense of dread within the depths of my chest unparallelled in it's... ummm... dreadiness. It evokes a hatred in me so white hot, boiling, bubbling and otherwise... ummm... hot and hatred filled, that...
...well, I'm not sure what. You get the picture, though.
Saskatchewan (as in Canada, for the geographically challenged), although possessing a boring shape geographically and being relatively flat and featureless, has got this nailed, people! They are rebels, refusing to conform to the world bureaucracy by not changing their clocks during time change! They just float blithely along choosing whichever time zone suits their fancy as the seasons advance, effectively staying on Central Standard Time (or Mountain Daylight, if you prefer) year-round.
Oh if only my provincial politicians were so bold and rebellious!
 |
| Locations that do (blue), used to (orange), and never did (red) observe time change. Image: Wikimedia Commons |
There are actually a number of places in the world who no longer, or never did observe a change to DST. Notably, these locations are all more equatorially located than the northern latitudes I inhabit, but as the number of locations that do not observe time change increases and creep ever north and southward, I believe it is important to note something about these non-conforming countries.
When time change rolls around and they don't change their clocks, nothing happens! That's right, people, there are no consequences to not moving ahead or setting back your clocks! The economy and financial empires that dominate our modern world do not collapse, the country does not dissolve into a state of political unrest or outright civil war (recent Middle Eastern events being the exception, but this had nothing to do with time change, moreso time for a change), computers do not stop working, cars do not stop driving, cows do not stop mooing, fish do not stop swimming...
Need I go on?
According to Wikipedia, Daylight Savings Time was first proposed in 1895 by a New Zealand shift worker, who was also an avid entomologist in his spare time. He proposed a change such that he would have more daylight hours to persue his hobby in the evening after work. It wasn't adopted, and there were a few more proposals for such a change in the years that followed, but it wasn't until World War I that it was finally adopted somewhere... Germany. This was a bid to conserve coal for the war effort. And things kind of derailed (in my mind, at least) from there.
Various reasons for the adoption of DST have ranged over the years from financial, to those espousing benefits to one's health. However to date very few of these reasons have been proven to be valid, and the only real benefit has been to retailers, who see shoppers more willing to shop during daylight hours.
Given that the vast majority of the supposed benefits to a change to DST have since been debunked as having negligible, or even negative, value, why have we not gotten rid of this ridiculousness?
I think there is a provincial election coming up soon... I will cast my vote for anyone who runs on a campaign of ditching time change.
 |
| My very clever drawing of Saskatchewan. See how easy it is, people? |
 |
| Yup, still moo'ing... |
 |
| ...and still swimming. |
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A commentary on Japan
The past few days have seen me experience a wide range of emotions, from sadness to anger to gratefullness, and everything in between. No wonder I feel so exhausted today.
Watching the footage out of Japan pretty much live in the wee hours of the morning the other night while suffering through what seemed like an overly long nightshift, I found myself having to control tears to the point that I actually had to leave the room and go compose myself in the bathroom a number of times. My tears were twofold: first, in the realization of the scale of the devastation that was occurring over there, and the death toll that was likely to follow; and second, in being incredibly relieved that some very close friends and my brother had all vacated that general area of the world recently (as in the week previously), with my two friends returning safely home from Tokyo and the Phillipines, and my brother making the decision to move to central China from Taiwan. While the effects on areas in the Pacific other than Japan turned out to be quite minimal, it was still a relief to know that everyone was safe. Truly, in my mind one of the worst things that could happen to oneself is having a loved one in a far off location when such an event occurs, and having no way of contacting them to find out if they are okay. Not knowing is very scarey. My heart goes out to those currently in this situation.
I was deeply saddened too to realize that it wasn't just people that were dying or badly injured over there, but all manner of creatures from pets to livestock to wildlife. Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm a sucker for the animals, and although not a vegetarian do believe all life is precious and all creatures deserve to be treated humanely, even if they are destined for a dinner plate. Heck, I even talk to my plants in the garden, and thank them during the harvest season. Sadly, when events of this magnitude happen, animals are the one's oft left behind during an emergency evacuation, and neglected during the subsequent cleanup. I pray they all find the help and care they need, whether it be at the hands of a rescue worker, veterinarian or in some great hereafter.
Oh dear... there are those tears again... just a sec...
Okay.
Better, for now.
In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami over there, the media frenzy continues with the latest headline target being the damaged nuclear power plants. The media's reaction to all of this makes me angry. For starters, some of the focus on this story is simply due to the fact that a major radioactive event could potentially affect North America, which must be (by their account) the centre of the Universe and what matters most in this situation. Second, the sensationalism of this whole affair seems more designed to sell newspapers instead of actually getting facts straight. Now, I'm by no means a nuclear physicist, technician, or any other sort of nuclear expert.
I'm not even Homer Simpson.
But I do recall some basics about how a nuclear power plant operates from some physics class I took in high school or university, and am not worried in the least about what is going on with the nuclear power plants over there. Honestly, the situation at the power plants is likely the least of Japan's worries given the devastation to basic infrastructure and basic necessities for survival. There are some really great blogs out there written by people in the know in an attempt to stop the spread of disinformation, and if you want valid scientific reasoning, please check them out - they are linked at the bottom of this post.
Finally, I experienced more anger, and a small measure of despair, upon reading an article that talks about fake charities that spring up whenever events of this magnitude happen attempting to take advantage of people trying to donate to rescue efforts and causes. What is wrong with people in that they see this as an opportunity for financial gain? Actually, I know exactly what is wrong with them, but that my friends is another post all in itself. If you are looking to donate to one of these causes, please ensure it's legit so your money gets to where you wanted it to go. I've linked to the Red Cross and American Humane Society below.
Stay safe, good readers, and may the Force be with you all, no matter what life throws at you.
Blogs regarding the status of Japan's nuclear power plants:
Rod Adams' blog - Atomic Insights
Barry Brook's blog - A Brave New Climate
Donate to the relief effort in Japan:
Canadian Red Cross
American Humane Society (disclaimer - while I don't necessarily agree with some tactics humane societies may employ, the AHS is a legit charity and your money will get put to good use)
Watching the footage out of Japan pretty much live in the wee hours of the morning the other night while suffering through what seemed like an overly long nightshift, I found myself having to control tears to the point that I actually had to leave the room and go compose myself in the bathroom a number of times. My tears were twofold: first, in the realization of the scale of the devastation that was occurring over there, and the death toll that was likely to follow; and second, in being incredibly relieved that some very close friends and my brother had all vacated that general area of the world recently (as in the week previously), with my two friends returning safely home from Tokyo and the Phillipines, and my brother making the decision to move to central China from Taiwan. While the effects on areas in the Pacific other than Japan turned out to be quite minimal, it was still a relief to know that everyone was safe. Truly, in my mind one of the worst things that could happen to oneself is having a loved one in a far off location when such an event occurs, and having no way of contacting them to find out if they are okay. Not knowing is very scarey. My heart goes out to those currently in this situation.
I was deeply saddened too to realize that it wasn't just people that were dying or badly injured over there, but all manner of creatures from pets to livestock to wildlife. Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm a sucker for the animals, and although not a vegetarian do believe all life is precious and all creatures deserve to be treated humanely, even if they are destined for a dinner plate. Heck, I even talk to my plants in the garden, and thank them during the harvest season. Sadly, when events of this magnitude happen, animals are the one's oft left behind during an emergency evacuation, and neglected during the subsequent cleanup. I pray they all find the help and care they need, whether it be at the hands of a rescue worker, veterinarian or in some great hereafter.
Oh dear... there are those tears again... just a sec...
Okay.
Better, for now.
In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami over there, the media frenzy continues with the latest headline target being the damaged nuclear power plants. The media's reaction to all of this makes me angry. For starters, some of the focus on this story is simply due to the fact that a major radioactive event could potentially affect North America, which must be (by their account) the centre of the Universe and what matters most in this situation. Second, the sensationalism of this whole affair seems more designed to sell newspapers instead of actually getting facts straight. Now, I'm by no means a nuclear physicist, technician, or any other sort of nuclear expert.
I'm not even Homer Simpson.
But I do recall some basics about how a nuclear power plant operates from some physics class I took in high school or university, and am not worried in the least about what is going on with the nuclear power plants over there. Honestly, the situation at the power plants is likely the least of Japan's worries given the devastation to basic infrastructure and basic necessities for survival. There are some really great blogs out there written by people in the know in an attempt to stop the spread of disinformation, and if you want valid scientific reasoning, please check them out - they are linked at the bottom of this post.
Finally, I experienced more anger, and a small measure of despair, upon reading an article that talks about fake charities that spring up whenever events of this magnitude happen attempting to take advantage of people trying to donate to rescue efforts and causes. What is wrong with people in that they see this as an opportunity for financial gain? Actually, I know exactly what is wrong with them, but that my friends is another post all in itself. If you are looking to donate to one of these causes, please ensure it's legit so your money gets to where you wanted it to go. I've linked to the Red Cross and American Humane Society below.
Stay safe, good readers, and may the Force be with you all, no matter what life throws at you.
Blogs regarding the status of Japan's nuclear power plants:
Rod Adams' blog - Atomic Insights
Barry Brook's blog - A Brave New Climate
Donate to the relief effort in Japan:
Canadian Red Cross
American Humane Society (disclaimer - while I don't necessarily agree with some tactics humane societies may employ, the AHS is a legit charity and your money will get put to good use)
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
I have an addiction...
Hi.
My name is Christina, and I'm a pencil-aholic.
I may need to check into a rehabilitation clinic, preferably in some warm, sunny locale with a beach and spa nearby.
You see, it all started when I began my job. I have a job where I and my colleagues actually get to draw and colour every shift, using pens, pencils, pencil crayons, felt markers, and whatever else we can get our grubby little hands on. You all may have a hard time imagining such a job even exists, but let me assure you, gentle reader, that it does. I can't tell you what it is, because then I'd have to kill you. Actually no, I wouldn't, but I couldn't stand the ridicule and mockery you would heap upon me so I'm not telling you. So let's just leave it at the fact I get to draw and colour every time I'm at work.
Each and every desk at my workplace has a wondrous box, cup or other suitable object filled with drawing and colouring implements, along with an electronic pencil sharpener. No old, squeaky, hand-cranked pencil sharpener, it's only the best for me and my colleagues! However, some of us are too good for the communal implements, and carry our own personal implement-holding objects containing our own custom mix of drawing/colouring implements.
I am such an individual.
Now inevitably, the communal implements get left scattered around the desk at the end of each shift, and the oncoming shift has to make the decision whether to continue to use these or to clean up after their lazy predecessor and put them away back into the communal implement-holding object. I always make the latter decision, because as aforementioned I carry my own personal stash of implements.
Occasionally, however, there is scattered in amongst the communal implements a brand new, freshly sharpened, yellow HB pencil.
For some reason I have yet been unable to ascertain, this particular drawing implement calls to me like a siren the likes of which are only found in sailing myth, legend and lore, weaving her spell while singing on a rock or beckoning from the foamy, dark depths of the ocean.
Inevitably, this pencil gets adopted by me and joins his identical siblings in my trusty Sesame Street pencil case which my mother made for me back in Grade 10. I won't say how many years ago this was, let's just leave it at it's been awhile. Last count found five of these wondrously addictive pencils in residence, along with two personalized pencils that were gifts, and three mechanical pencils, along with other oddities such as a small rock and a couple almost-dead highlighters.
Truly, this has got to be one of the most bizarre addictions ever.
In the meantime be rest assured, fair reader, that if we manage to survive the catastrophe coming in December 2012, I have got the whole pencil gig covered.
Now if you'll excuse me, I see a lovely yellow HB sticking out of the communal pencil cup.
My name is Christina, and I'm a pencil-aholic.
I may need to check into a rehabilitation clinic, preferably in some warm, sunny locale with a beach and spa nearby.
You see, it all started when I began my job. I have a job where I and my colleagues actually get to draw and colour every shift, using pens, pencils, pencil crayons, felt markers, and whatever else we can get our grubby little hands on. You all may have a hard time imagining such a job even exists, but let me assure you, gentle reader, that it does. I can't tell you what it is, because then I'd have to kill you. Actually no, I wouldn't, but I couldn't stand the ridicule and mockery you would heap upon me so I'm not telling you. So let's just leave it at the fact I get to draw and colour every time I'm at work.
Each and every desk at my workplace has a wondrous box, cup or other suitable object filled with drawing and colouring implements, along with an electronic pencil sharpener. No old, squeaky, hand-cranked pencil sharpener, it's only the best for me and my colleagues! However, some of us are too good for the communal implements, and carry our own personal implement-holding objects containing our own custom mix of drawing/colouring implements.
I am such an individual.
Now inevitably, the communal implements get left scattered around the desk at the end of each shift, and the oncoming shift has to make the decision whether to continue to use these or to clean up after their lazy predecessor and put them away back into the communal implement-holding object. I always make the latter decision, because as aforementioned I carry my own personal stash of implements.
Occasionally, however, there is scattered in amongst the communal implements a brand new, freshly sharpened, yellow HB pencil.
For some reason I have yet been unable to ascertain, this particular drawing implement calls to me like a siren the likes of which are only found in sailing myth, legend and lore, weaving her spell while singing on a rock or beckoning from the foamy, dark depths of the ocean.
 |
| A very artistic photo of my pencil case and HB addiction. |
Truly, this has got to be one of the most bizarre addictions ever.
In the meantime be rest assured, fair reader, that if we manage to survive the catastrophe coming in December 2012, I have got the whole pencil gig covered.
Now if you'll excuse me, I see a lovely yellow HB sticking out of the communal pencil cup.
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